Night of the Full Moon
by LovestoRead2013
Summary: An Upstead fic. IN PROGRESS. It's been a rough week for the Intelligence Unit at District 21. Now it's Friday (the 13th) and a full moon to boot. Should Detectives Jay Halstead and Hailey Upton be worried?
1. Chapter 1

**Night of the Full Moon**

It has been a rough week for the Intelligence Unit at District 21. But now it's Friday (the 13th) and a full moon to boot. Should Detectives Jay Halstead and Hailey Upton be worried?

Friday the 13th started off badly for Jay Halstead. When he left his apartment this morning, he discovered his truck had a flat tire. "What a bitch," he mumbled as he set to work changing it in the sub-freezing weather. Then when he got to his favorite coffee shop, a sign said it was closed due to a burst water pipe. Detouring to his second favorite shop caused him to be late to the gun range where he needed to re-qualify with his weapon.

"Nice of you to join us, Halstead," said the instructor.

"Sorry. Flat tire," said Jay as he took off his jacket.

But the worst part of this day was that he was not at the District with his partner Hailey Upton. They had a close working and personal relationship and he hated not being there to have her back. Plus, he missed her quiet, reassuring presence. She could calm him with just a look from her wide, blue eyes.

Even now as he lined up his paper target, he wondered what she was doing. Was she talking and joking with the rest of the unit? Maybe she was tackling the one thing all cops hated – paperwork. He really hoped she had not brought in some of those sinfully delicious Greek doughnuts.

_She wouldn't do that since she knows I won't be there. Unless she's pissed at me for not finishing my part of the paperwork. _

He wanted to call her to check in, but the instructor was saying something. _Time to get my head in the game. _

"Hey, Halstead. Where's that hot partner of yours?" asked Riggins from SWAT. He and Jay were in the same class at the academy.

"Not here, obviously," said Jay. A couple times, he and Hailey had run into this guy on cases and he shamelessly flirted with Hailey. Jay knew for a fact that the jerk was dating a nurse who worked with his brother Will at Chicago Med.

To her credit, she smiled and was polite to his face because one never knew when SWAT might wind up saving your butt. But as soon as he turned to walk away, Hailey's middle finger went up and she muttered something in Greek. Jay grinned and looked at her. "I can probably figure out what that meant."

Hailey grinned back. "I knew you were a smart guy."

Riggins simply could not stop talking. "Think Hailey would want to transfer to SWAT? We could use a good woman."

Jay turned to him with an incredulous look. "No way in hell. And if you don't stop talking about my partner, I might drill one of these bullets into your ass."

"Ooh. Little touchy this morning, aren't you?" said Riggins with a smirk. "Guess that means you aren't getting any from your partner." Jay was a split-second from punching the guy in the face.

"Is there a problem down there, gentlemen?" asked the instructor from the sidelines.

"No problem, sir. Just clearing the air," said Jay as he unclenched his fist. He pulled up his ear protectors and prepared to forget Riggins was even on the same planet.

_Wait until I tell Hailey about this. She'll say she can't let me go off unsupervised. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

During a brief break, Jay found a quiet corner and called Hailey.

She answered immediately. "Hey, partner. How's it going?"

"You need to come with me the next time I have to re-qualify."

"Why? Are you missing me? Because I'm missing you right now as I sit here finishing all this crap paperwork." Of course, Jay couldn't see her, but she was smiling. Paperwork was definitely a thorn in her side, but hearing her partner's voice was a welcome respite.

Jay sighed. "Right. I didn't finish my report. Sorry. I promise I'll do all the paperwork on the next case."

"I'm holding you to that," said Hailey. "And I would have come with you except we're on different schedules for re-quals."

"Can't we change the dates?" he complained.

Hailey gasped in mock horror. "What? An officer of the law wants me to commit forgery? This Intelligence unit is going to the dogs. I may need to ask Voigt for a new partner."

"Ha. You're always good for a laugh, Upton." Jay knew she was joking, but on a deeper level he couldn't imagine not being partnered with Hailey. In fact, it scared the hell out of him. Their _thing_ was solid; they communicated volumes with just a nod or a look.

"Only a laugh?" she asked quietly.

"Well, you're good at having my back and being my drinking buddy at Molly's," he conceded. _Pretty sure you'd be good in my bed, too, _he thought. _But can we afford to mess up a great partnership?_

Lately, he wondered more and more what would happen ifthey crossed that narrow line between partners and lovers. Sometimes as he stared at her in the bull pen, she'd look up from her computer and give him a smile. He could bask in that smile all day long. He was certain she knew what he was thinking.

_I'm such a goner and I'd be a damn fool to let her get away. _

"I could say the same about you, Halstead."

Over his shoulder, Jay heard the instructor bellowing for everyone to get their sorry asses back on the range.

"Gotta go. I'll catch up with you later," he said.

"Don't have too much fun without me," laughed Hailey. "Hey, I think we're getting called out. Adam's on the phone with somebody."

"Okay, be safe."

"Copy that," said Hailey and disconnected.

The day wore on until it was finally time to go. Jay had never been so glad to get out of a place in his life. As he cranked his truck, his brother called.

"Will, what's up?"

"Just calling to check on Hailey."

"Check on Hailey? What are you talking about?" Suddenly, Jay got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"You're not with her?" asked Will.

"I've been at the gun range all day for re-qualifying. What happened?" He merged into traffic, then the light turned red.

"Not sure. Something about gangbangers and illegal weapons. She and Adam got roughed up, but they've already been released. Can't say the same for the guys they took down. Two are in surgery and the third is still here in the ER crying like a baby."

Jay slapped the steering wheel. "Dammit. I should have been with her."

Will had a sneaking suspicion his brother cared about Hailey on more than simply a professional level. "She didn't have a concussion, but someone should keep an eye on her for the next twelve hours or so. She refused to stay overnight for observation." Will paused to let Jay consider that. "Your girl's tough, I'll give her that."

"You mean hard-headed?"

Will laughed. "Yeah, I guess that's why you two are a good team."

"Don't worry. I'll watch her," said Jay. Then his phone died. He swore and tossed it in the floorboard. _What else can go wrong today?_

The light changed and Jay stomped on the accelerator. _ Hailey better be resting at home. _

But her car was not in the parking lot of her building. Now Jay was wearing out the doorbell and banging on the door. "Hailey! Are you in there? Open up!"

_She needs to give me a key for emergencies._

A door down the hall opened and an elderly woman stuck her head out and a dog started barking. "Young man, what seems to be the problem?"

"Have you seen Hailey? I really need to see her."

"I don't believe she's home. I didn't see her car when I walked JoJo." The woman peered closely at him. "You work with her, don't you? I've seen you before."

"Yeah, we're partners," said Jay. "Sorry for the disturbance, ma'am. Guess she's still at work."

**At the District**

Jay turned the corner so fast he almost rammed a garbage truck pulling out of the back parking lot. He slammed on the brakes and practically gave himself whiplash.

He took the stairs two at a time up to the bull pen. Hailey and Adam were at their desks like it was any other day.

"Hailey, are you okay?" She was holding her side and her left eye and side of her face was black and blue. One sleeve of her plaid shirt was ripped.

She looked up at him and tried to smile. "I've had better days." She shifted in her chair and winced. "But you should see the other guys."

"Yeah, Will told me."

He turned and glared at Adam. "What the hell, man? I'm gone for one day and you let my partner get worked over like this? And why did you bring her here?"

Hailey got up and put a hand on Jay's arm. "Jay. Take a breath. It wasn't like that. And Adam didn't exactly get off scot-free."

Only then did Jay notice the angry red scrape on Adam's right cheek and the splint on his left wrist.

Adam returned the glare. "Thanks for caring about _all_ your teammates, Jay. I swear, I was going to drive her home, but she insisted on coming back here to wait for you."

He looked at Hailey. "You good?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Living the dream."

He grabbed his jacket. "I'm outta here."

Voight had been on the phone, but now came out of his office. He glanced from Jay to Hailey and back to Jay. He could sense the younger man's tension and anger.

"Adam didn't do anything wrong. He had Hailey's back."

"Sarge, I should have been here."

"That's enough, Jay. It's been a long day. Take Hailey home and make sure she's okay." Voight turned and retreated to his office.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Hailey shrugged into her jacket and unlocked the bottom desk drawer to retrieve her purse. When she straightened up, Jay was staring at her and shaking his head. He looked like he wanted to vent more, but finally just gave up a sigh. There was no point having a blowup with Voight so close by.

"You heard the man. Let's get out of here."

Hailey nodded and they descended the stairs to the parking lot. Neither spoke until they reached Jay's truck. Hailey opened the passenger door, but didn't have the energy to step up.

Jay was about to get in when he noticed her blank expression. "Hailey . . . Hailey, what's wrong?

Finally, she focused on him and frowned. "What?"

Jay sprinted around the truck and caught her seconds before her knees buckled.

"I'm okay," she insisted as he lifted her into the seat. One part of his brain registered anxiety over her condition while another part thought how nice it felt to hold her in his arms.

"Like hell. When was the last time you ate?"

"I dunno. Breakfast . . . I think."

Jay started to fasten the seatbelt, but she slapped his hands away. "I'm not an invalid, Halstead." He smirked and dropped his hands.

"No, you're a grumpy, injured cop."

She leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes. "Can we go now?" she asked.

He studied her for a moment, then reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He hoped the simple gesture communicated his concern.

Her eyes flew open. "Jay . . . take me home."

He smiled a little. "Yes, ma'am."

**Hailey's Apartment**

Hailey shuffled down the hall to her bedroom and took her time changing into sweats. Jay was in the kitchen pondering the food situation. He opened the refrigerator and found only expired lunch meat, half a loaf of bread and 2 eggs.

_Can't make an omelet or scrambled eggs with those. _

He pulled out his cell phone and ordered a pizza, then sat down on the couch and clicked on the TV. A Blackhawks game was on, but he was unable to concentrate on the action on the ice. He finally admitted to himself that his feelings for Hailey had entered a new dimension. He wasn't sure what to do about it and he was just plain scared.

_What if she doesn't feel the same way? _

He slouched down on the couch and put one of the throw pillows behind his head. When Hailey returned to the room, she found him staring at the ceiling with the remote in his hand.

"What's the score?"

He looked over his shoulder at her. "Huh? No idea."

Hailey sat down beside him. "Are you okay because you seem kinda out of it, but I'm the one who got beat up." She smiled in an effort to lighten the mood.

Jay sat up. "Yeah. No. I mean, it was a crappy day all around."

Hailey gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "If you need to vent, go ahead."

He nodded slightly and launched into a blow-by-blow of the events in his day. "And that SWAT jerk was there, mouthing off about you."

Hailey rolled her eyes. "Come on, Jay. Ignore the guy. _I_ do."

_He's really worked up tonight._

"You realize today's Friday the 13th, right?"

"I know. And a full moon. Those old wives' tales are true," he said.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. "Not in the mood for more company," said Hailey.

"Don't worry, it's pizza." Jay got up and went to the door.

Her mouth immediately started watering. "Wow, that smells wonderful."

"Yeah, because you have almost zero food here. And I took the liberty of tossing that lunch meat. It reminded me of one of Will's high school science experiments."

Hailey shrugged. "Sorry. Crime-fighting takes a lot of time. Besides, I wasn't expecting a dinner guest tonight."

Jay put the pizza box on the coffee table and grabbed a roll of paper towels. "I'm not a guest; I'm your partner."

"Making a mental note of that right now," said Hailey as she tapped the side of her head. "But is there a difference?"

"Hell, yes. A _partner_ is a more intimate person." As soon as he said it, Jay wondered what prompted that statement.

Fortunately, Hailey didn't question it, but simply stared at him.

"Uh, let's eat this while it's still hot," he said.

"Right." She reached for a slice. Things were changing between them and they both felt it. _But what are we going to do about it?_ wondered Hailey.

After his first slice, Jay said, "No offense, Hailey, but you look like hell." He looked at her closely. "There's even some dried blood in your hair."

"Gee, thanks. Exactly what every girl wants to hear."

"What happened anyway? Will only said it involved illegal weapons and gangbangers."

"The gang unit called and requested help for a bust. They have four officers down with the flu. Two are so serious they were admitted to Med."

"I should have been there with you."

Hailey snorted. "Stop being a mother hen. We're cops. It's what we do. Sometimes we get hurt, but we get up and keep going."

"How bad did you hurt these guys?"

"Hey, it's not my fault they're dangerous _and_ dumb. One was shooting and walking backwards and tripped over a concrete block. I honestly think when he fell he discharged a round into his buddy's gut. Another one tried to escape over a barbed wire fence and ripped up his arm pretty good. Blood was spurting everywhere. At least we recovered three crates of automatic weapons and a huge stash of crystal meth.

"A good day's work," said Jay flatly. He couldn't get too excited about it since he had not participated in the raid.

"The unit commander even offered me a job if I wanted to transfer. Said he liked my 'take no prisoners' attitude."

Jay looked up sharply. "What? You can't be serious."

Hailey was biting her lip to keep from laughing. "Relax, Halstead. I'm kidding."

"You better be. I . . . I can't lose you."

Hailey gave him a sweet smile. "I'm not going anywhere, unless we go together." Then the serious moment was broken when she yawned widely. "Everything's caught up with me. I gotta lie down."

As she uncurled herself from the couch, she stumbled. "Shit! My foot's asleep."

Jay jumped up and caught her before she crashed into the coffee table. "This is twice tonight you've thrown yourself at me," laughed Jay. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

Hailey squirmed in his arms. "You tell me," she challenged.

Jay carried her to the bedroom and tucked her in. He leaned over and was about to kiss her forehead when Hailey grabbed the front of his tee shirt. "Don't go."

"I'm not. I'll be on the couch if you need anything."

Another big yawn from Hailey. "That's too far." She laid her hand on the other pillow. "I just need you close."

_We're treading on dangerous ground here,_ thought Jay. Finally, he sighed. "Okay, I'll be right here with you."

Hailey relaxed and turned on her side.

He quickly stripped down to his boxers and crawled in beside her. _This is definitely more comfortable than the couch. _

As he was trying to quiet his thoughts, Hailey rolled over and draped herself half-way across his chest.

"Mmm. This is nice," she mumbled and fell asleep.

He slowly rubbed his hand up and down her back. _Yeah, this is nice. Maybe too nice. _


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Jay lay unmoving for a long time holding Hailey and listening to her quiet breathing. Eventually, fatigue claimed him and he drifted off, his arms still encircling her.

Now he jerked awake. In the distance, he heard the wail of an emergency vehicle. His heart pounded and he experienced a wave of panic. His watch read 3:20 a.m. He glanced around the room.

_Where am I? This isn't my apartment._

A movement in the bed alerted him he wasn't alone. As moonlight filtered through the blinds, he saw it was Hailey. He inhaled deeply and willed his heart to slow down. _ Of course. Hailey. Thank goodness I'm not back in Afghanistan in some godforsaken cave or concrete bunker._

Her blonde tresses fanned out across the pillow and he could make out her bruised face and eye. His fists clenched. He felt an overwhelming urge to hurt the perp who did this to her. His logical brain warned he was getting too possessive, but his heart was in turmoil. After a moment, he unclenched his fists and sighed.

_I think I'm in love with her. _He reached out to touch her, but stopped himself. _She looks so peaceful. _

He stared at her until his heart rate returned to normal. Then easing out of the bed, he made his way to the kitchen for a glass of water.

Hailey rolled over and noticed her human pillow was gone. "Jay?"

There was no answer. She sat up and was relieved when she saw his clothes on the floor. _So he's still here. _She got up and went looking for him.

The sliding glass doors to the balcony were open and Jay was leaning his elbows on the railing. Hailey paused and studied him. She'd seen her partner shirtless before, but never in just his underwear. _Looking good, Halstead. _

What was he doing out there on this cold night? He appeared lost in thought and she almost didn't want to disturb him.

Finally, she crept closer until she was at the doorway. "Jay, what are you doing?"

Her voice startled him and he turned. "Hey, did I wake you?"

"No. All of a sudden, you weren't there. I . . . I missed you."

He smiled. She had no way of knowing how much her simple admission touched his soul. "I heard a siren, I don't know, fire or maybe an ambo. I couldn't go back to sleep."

She nodded. They stared at each other as they often did. "What will the neighbors think about a half-naked guy on the balcony?"

"Your neighbors should be asleep at this hour," Jay pointed out, obviously not concerned.

"Right. Maybe they heard the siren, too." Hailey shivered and hugged herself. "Come back to bed. I'm cold."

"Oh, you just want my body heat, is that it?" teased Jay.

"I . . ." She stopped. _Think before you speak, Hailey. _ "You're a good partner, Jay. I mean, fussing over me and everything. I appreciate it."

Jay's emotions were in a jumble, but he had a flash of clarity and knew he had to put it all out there, whatever the outcome. "Hailey. I want to be more than just your partner on the job, I, uh . . ." _This shouldn't be so hard. Just spit it out, Halstead. _

She unfolded her arms, stepped closer and laid her hands flat on his chest. "Jay, I understand. I want the same thing."

_Is she serious? _He smiled broadly. "Good, that's good, but . . ."

Hailey frowned. "But what?"

"If we step over this line, everything changes. There's no going back, you know, the genie's out of the bottle. I want to be sure this is the real Hailey talking and not Hailey on pain meds."

"I only took one of those pain pills that Will prescribed and that was over twelve hours ago. I know what I want, Jay, and I want _you_. I want us to move forward."

Jay was overwhelmed. Finally, he said, "Glad we're on the same page because I wasn't sure if . . ."

"Halstead, shut up and kiss me." Hailey reached up and pulled his head down and brushed her lips over his. It was feather-light, a promise of things to come, and she felt Jay smile.

"What do you think of that?" asked Hailey in a sassy tone.

Jay wrapped his arms around her waist and looked down at her baggy, pink sweats. "I think you're wearing too many clothes."

"I'm cold."

"I can warm you up," he said.

"Do it already," she urged.

He laughed. "Game on, Upton."

He maneuvered her back into the living room and closed the balcony doors. "Anyone ever tell you you're bossy?"

"Yeah, my brothers. All the time."

Jay took her face in his hands and studied her. He saw his own desire reflected there. "You are so damn beautiful, Hailey." He leaned down and kissed her before putting his hands under her bottom and lifting her. Hailey eagerly jumped up and wrapped her arms and legs around him.

When they reached the bedroom, Jay set her down and between frantic kisses, they shed their remaining clothes and tumbled into bed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The good thing about Friday the 13th is that it's followed by Saturday the 14th. As luck would have it, Jay and Hailey were not on the call rotation today. Jay vaguely registered that thought when he woke up several hours later. Hailey's back was pressed against his chest and he was too comfortable to even consider moving. He ran his fingers idly over her bare arm. For the first time, he realized how physically petite she was.

_But her tough attitude makes her seem larger than life. _

He'd seen hardened criminals flinch and shrink back when she slammed her hand down on the interrogation room table and raise her voice inches from their face.

_If I was sitting across the table from her, I'd get lost in those stunning blue eyes and either couldn't speak or else would spill my guts._

Hailey sighed and shifted slightly, but did not wake up. Jay wrapped his arms around her and kissed her shoulder. He never wanted to let her go.

* * *

When Hailey awoke, she was alone in bed. She stretched slowly and thought how much she missed Jay's comforting presence. However, the welcome smell of coffee told her she was not alone in the apartment. She got up and pulled on her sweats and padded to the kitchen.

Jay stood there in only his jeans and was pouring a cup of coffee. He looked up with a smile. "Hey." Hailey's hair was a mess, but she was always beautiful to him.

She returned the smile. "Morning." Jay handed her a cup and poured one for himself.

"Thanks. How'd you sleep?" she asked.

He took a sip before answering. "What little sleep I got was fantastic. You?"

"Same here." At almost the same moment, they set their cups down and gravitated toward each other, embracing and kissing. "You taste like dark roast," said Jay.

"I wonder why," laughed Hailey. Suddenly, Jay's stomach growled. Hailey rubbed her belly. "I'm hungry, too."

Jay frowned. "Is it too early to order pizza again?"

"Unfortunately, it is." Then she remembered something. "But there's a new little diner that opened a couple months ago. It's about four blocks down the street. It's called _Sadie's Sunflower._ I've been wanting to try it out."

Jay nodded. "Okay, sounds like a plan."

They resumed their coffee-drinking in companionable silence for a few moments. Jay kept staring at her chest until Hailey called him on it. She snapped her fingers. "Hey, Halstead. Are you ogling my boobs?"

Jay looked up. "What? No." He pointed at her. "I was thinking how that's all wrong."

"What's all wrong?" Hailey was really perplexed now as she looked down at herself. "My sweats? What's wrong with sweats?"

"Not sweats _per se_. That logo."

"Hello Kitty? Who doesn't like Hello Kitty?"

"No offense to Hello Kitty, but you are not a kitten. You're more like a lioness. Fierce, stalking, roaring. Yeah, definitely a lioness."

His remark took Hailey by surprise. "Oh. Wow. I . . . I think I like that description. But is that just in bed?"

"Hell, no. Every aspect of your life."

_Did she just blush a little? _ Jay grinned. "You're my lioness."

Hailey studied him over the rim of her cup as she took the last sip. At a temporary loss for words, she rinsed the cup and stuck it in the dishwasher. Jay touched her arm. "Hey, I didn't offend you, did I?"

"Not at all. I'm flattered. I like to think of myself as a strong woman."

"You are certainly that." He leaned down and kissed her again.

"Okay, if we're going out, I need to freshen up." She began walking toward the bathroom and taking off her sweatshirt. She glanced over her shoulder and purred, "Care to join me in the shower?"

Jay tried hard not to smile. "We'll never get out of here if I do that. Anyway, we have the rest of the day to . . . _relax_."

The way he said that made Hailey tingle in anticipation. "Okay, partner. Whatever you say."

Jay continued to watch her until she disappeared into the bathroom and turned on the water. He blew out a big sigh and drank the rest of his coffee. He could still go and join her, but, truth be told, he was a little freaked out by this new development in their relationship. Of course, he'd thought a lot about this and had wanted it, but to find out she felt the same way was overwhelming.

Unlike other women he'd dated, Hailey didn't take eons in the bathroom. Before he knew it, she was out of the shower and standing in the hall encased in a large green towel. He was still rooted to the same tile on the kitchen floor where she had left him.

"If you want to grab a shower, I put out a clean towel."

He nodded. "Yeah, sure."

Hailey dashed into the bedroom and closed the door. She leaned against the door and waited for her heart to slow down. They'd been all over each other a few hours ago, but now she felt shy for some reason.

_Have to get dressed._

She flung the towel off and dug a pair of jeans and a sweater out of the closet. She had no sooner zipped her jeans when Jay knocked on the door. "Uh, Hailey. The rest of my clothes are in there."

She saw the pile on the other side of the bed. "Right. You can come in."

"You sure? Are you decent?" He eased the door open a crack and peeked in. Hailey opened it all the way. "Positive."

She pointed to her hair. "I have to do something with this." She passed him in the doorway and swatted his towel-clad butt.

"What was that for?" asked Jay.

Hailey smiled sweetly. "I am a lioness, after all."

Jay eyed her with amusement. "Copy that."

"You might regret calling me that."

"Oh, I highly doubt it," he laughed.

* * *

A light snow was falling when they left the apartment. Hailey had a knit cap pulled low to hide part of her bruised face. Jay slid his arm around her shoulders as they walked and pulled her close.

When they reached the diner, it was already packed. Luckily, a booth opened up at the back and a waitress led them to it. On the other side of the room, someone looked up from an omelet in surprise.

_Well, well, well. Would you look at that. The big hook-up finally happened. It was only a matter of time. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_Okay, nothing weird about partners eating together. It's when partners do other things that it gets complicated_. He forked up a mouthful of omelet and considered what he'd witnessed: Jay's arm around Hailey and the intense looks they'd shared when they should have been studying the menu.

_Whoa, here it comes. _Jay leaned across the small table and kissed Hailey.

_There's no undercover op in progress, so this is the real deal. _

Patrons left and new customers flocked into the diner, but Jay and Hailey were oblivious to them all. They had eyes only for each other. The man took a sip of coffee. The lovebirds had not spotted him and he was probably safe unless he chose to confront them. He debated what to do.

"You folks ready to order?" asked the cheerful, older waitress with a name tag that read "Susie."

"We are," smiled Hailey as she proceeded to order about half the menu. Jay looked at her and nodded in approval. He had no doubt his partner could eat all that.

"Very good," said Susie. "And you, sir?"

"I'll have what's she's having. Oh, and some extra butter for the pancakes, please."

"Coming right up. I like to see young people with healthy appetites," said Susie. "People can't just live on salads."

"So true, even though I love salads," said Hailey as she closed the menu.

Susie moved off to another table. "Hungry this morning, Hails?" asked Jay with a laugh.

"Famished."

"I guess we did burn up a lot of calories last night," said Jay with a knowing look.

Hailey's cheeks grew hot remembering exactly how those calories were burned up.

"Yeah, and as cops, we need to keep up our strength. You never know when we will have to chase down a perp."

Jay rolled his eyes. "Perp. Right. Not how I want to expend calories today and I'm really looking forward to those pancakes."

"Oh? How did you want to use calories today?"

Jay was about to offer some creative suggestions when Susie returned with coffee and orange juice. "It'll be about fifteen minutes before your order's ready," she said. "Everybody in the neighborhood decided to eat with us today."

"Good for business," said Hailey.

"No problem," said Jay. "We're having a lazy Saturday anyway." Suddenly, Jay's cell phone rang. He picked it up from the table. "It's Will."

"Hey, Will. What's up?"

"Calling to check on Hailey. I couldn't get her on the phone."

"She's okay," said Jay.

"You know this how?"

"I'm having breakfast with her."

There was a pause. "Uh-huh. Is that all you're having with her?" asked Will. Not for the first time, Jay decided older brothers were a pain in the butt.

"That's classified," said Jay.

"Jay, I may not be a cop, but I can still detect some things. Try not to exhaust my patient."

"Understood. Here, I'll put it on speaker and she can give you an update herself."

"Morning, Will."

"Hailey, how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good. My ribs are still tender, but trust me, I've had much worse injuries."

"Unfortunately, in your line of work that seems to be a given. Listen, if you need anything, call me."

"Thanks, Will. Sorry you couldn't reach me. My battery died."

"Okay, you guys don't get too rambunctious today."

"Rambunctious. That's a big word, bro. Hey, we gotta go. Our food's here," said Jay and disconnected.

They dug into the delicious food and concentrated solely on that for several minutes. Then during a brief lull in the food consumption, Jay remarked, "You know, Voight and my brother all but ordered me to stay with you."

Hailey rubbed some syrup off her chin. "That's your explanation? It certainly did not seem like a hardship for you." She tried not to smile. She knew he was yanking her chain.

"No hardship at all. I'd have been there even if they'd ordered me not to. You know that, right?"

Hailey laid her hand on his arm. "I know. You're a good, decent guy and you care." They shared a quiet moment just gazing into each other's eyes.

Jay broke contact first as he looked toward the large picture window at the front of the diner. "It's snowing harder now. We should probably get out of here."

Hailey turned and looked, too. "Yeah, and I want to stop at that little grocery store we passed." They finished up the rest of their food. "I need to use the restroom," said Hailey.

"Okay, I'll meet you up front." He checked the bill and left cash under it anchored by the salt and pepper shakers.

On the opposite side of the diner, Adam took the final swig of his coffee and saw Jay walking to the front. _Time to get to the bottom of this. _He dropped some bills on the table and headed to the front.

Jay was studying some of the memorabilia stuck to the walls while he waited for Hailey and did not notice Adam approaching.

"Jay, what's up?"

Jay blinked in surprise. "Adam, hey. Just having some breakfast. You?"

"Same. Had a kick-ass omelet and some French toast."

"You don't say. I pictured you as a bacon-and-eggs kind of guy."

Adam laughed. "Had some of that, too." There was an awkward pause. "You alone?"

"No, I'm with Hailey." Jay took a deep breath. "Look, about yesterday. I had a really crappy day and of course I care about everybody on our team . . . "

Adam held up a hand. "I get it, man. We're cops. We serve and protect, especially the ones we care about. You know, me and Kim, you and Hailey. Work, personal. At some point, the lines get blurred."

Jay shook his head. "It's not like that."

Adam cut him off. "Dude, come on. It's totally like that. I was sitting back there and saw you guys come in all snuggled up. I don't think you'd be all cozy like that if Atwater was your partner."

Jay gave a little laugh. "Hey, don't get me wrong, Kev's a great guy and good police, but you have to draw the line somewhere."

Now it was Adam's turn to laugh. "Amen to that. I bet his hair doesn't smell as nice as Hailey's."

"Never got that close to his hair," said Jay. "Are you going to rat us out to Voight?" Jay didn't think he would, but he had to ask.

"Me? Hell, no. You didn't squeal on me and Kimmy."

"Kimmy?" said Jay with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, you know, a little pet name for my girl," said Adam.

Jay wondered how Kim felt about her pet name, but he wasn't about to raise that question.

The diner's front door opened and a blast of frigid air ushered in Kim (or Kimmy) Burgess. "Hey, babe," said Adam as he kissed her cheek and handed her a to-go cup of coffee. Hailey walked up at that moment and everyone seemed a bit surprised.

"Gotta roll. We're picking up my sister and going to Sammy's hockey game," said Adam.

"Hope his team wins," said Hailey as they departed.

Jay looked at Hailey and smirked. "That was . . . weird."

"They know, don't they?"

"Adam saw us come in so of course, he'll tell Kim."

She looped her arm through his. "Don't worry about it. Let's enjoy the rest of the day and get home before this turns into a blizzard."

"You're right." Jay took out his knit cap and pulled it down on his head. "I don't want to think about anything but us."

Hailey smiled. "That's the spirit."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Adam's SUV**

Kim took a sip of coffee and looked at Adam over the rim. "So . . . Hailey and Jay." Her eyebrows arched up.

"Yep. Those two."

Kim nodded slowly. "You know what? I'm happy for them. They're good together."

Adam laid a hand on her denim-clad thigh. "As good as us?" he asked playfully.

"Well, I don't know if anyone can be as good as us, but in our line of work, it's hard to find someone who really understands what we face every day."

"You are right about that, babe." He squeezed her leg and leaned in for a kiss. Then his cell rang. A picture of his nephew Sammy wearing a Dr. Seuss hat popped up.

"Hey, buddy. What's up?"

"Are you coming to my game, Uncle Adam?"

"Sure thing, kiddo."

"Is Kim coming, too?"

Kim smiled. "I wouldn't miss it, Sammy."

"Okay. I gotta go. Mom's yelling for me."

"Hey, tell your mom we'll be there in about 15 minutes," said Adam and ended the call.

Kim enjoyed attending Sammy's games, but today she was preoccupied by this new development with Jay and Hailey.

"The District has become a matchmaking hub."

Adam nodded thoughtfully. "Right. And you know no matter how much they try to keep it under wraps, Voight will find out."

"He'll sniff them out like a bloodhound," agreed Kim.

"Now we need to find someone for Kev," said Adam.

"What about Rojas?" asked Kim.

"That could work. Or maybe that new EMT at 51."

Kim shook her head. "My money's on Vanessa."

* * *

Jay and Hailey returned to Hailey's apartment with their bags of groceries. They had no sooner stepped inside the front door when Jay dropped his bags and pushed Hailey back against the door for an epic kiss. Her bags slid from her hands and her arms went around Jay's neck

When they separated, both were breathing hard. Jay rested his forehead against Hailey's. He would never tire of kissing her.

"Just couldn't wait?" she asked.

Jay smiled. "You have no idea. But speaking of ideas . . ."

"Does your idea involve us getting out of these clothes?" Hailey started unzipping Jay's jacket.

Jay laughed. "It does, but later."

Hailey paused with the zipper half-way down and looked up at him. "When does a guy ever want to wait until later to get naked?"

He grabbed her hands. "Good point, but just hear me out. Why don't we take this stuff and go to my place?"

"Okay . . . why? Aren't you comfortable here?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm extremely comfortable here, but number one, I need clean clothes . . ."

"I have a washer and dryer," said Hailey.

"True, but number two, we'll be closer to the District if we get called in and, this is the gamechanger, I'll cook dinner tonight."

"My guy's a chef," said Hailey with a smile.

_My guy. _Those two words made Jay ridiculously happy.

"You don't have to sound so surprised. Your guy, as you say, can whip up a few things in the kitchen."

Hailey pretended to consider it. Finally, she said, "Sure. How could I refuse such an offer?"

Jay smiled. "Great. Go grab some clothes."

Five minutes later, Hailey returned with a duffle bag. They scooped up the grocery bags and left.

On the drive to Jay's apartment, they could not stop smiling at each other. "I hope other drivers don't think there's something wrong with us because of these huge grins," said Hailey.

"They won't. They'll see two people who are . . ." It was on the tip of his tongue to say _in love_. ". . .who are having a really good weekend." He didn't want to blurt out something too soon and scare Hailey. This relationship was as important to him as breathing and he wanted to do everything right. He would be crushed if it didn't work out.

"Can't argue with that," said Hailey. She sensed from the way he paused he was going to say something different, but she wouldn't challenge him on it.

As they walked up to the door, Jay tried to remember if the apartment was relatively clean. _Might be some dirty dishes in the sink. When did I change the sheets? Oh well, Hailey's been here before, but this is the first time as my girlfriend. Girlfriend. I like the sound of that. _


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

As soon as Jay opened the door, his eyes landed on the discarded tee shirt, socks and boots in front of the couch. He looked at Hailey sheepishly and shrugged. "I fell asleep watching the game the other night."

"Jay, take it easy. This is your space. You don't have to apologize." She gave him a sweet smile. "But I do have one question."

"Yeah?"

"Why wasn't I here watching the game with you?"

Jay ran a hand through his short hair. "You should have been, but you and Rojas were out doing girl stuff – shopping or manicures or something."

Hailey held up her ragged nails. "Definitely not manicures. Shopping. Vanessa wanted help finding a dress to wear to her friend's wedding next weekend."

"I sure hope she found one because I needed you here to yell at the TV with me and eat wings."

_I needed you. _Hailey was already over the moon about the change in their relationship and those three simple words warmed her heart even more. She smiled and touched his arm.

"Are you gonna offer a girl a drink?"

Jay looked surprised. "What? Sure. I guess." He frowned. "Kinda early, isn't it, even for us?"

"You know what they say: It's five o'clock somewhere. And we're celebrating the 'new us.'"

Jay's shoulders relaxed. "I can definitely celebrate that." They stood staring at each other for a beat. Then Hailey took off her jacket, flung it on the couch and marched over to the cabinet above the sink. She pulled out the bottle of whiskey and two glasses. She felt comfortable in Jay's apartment the same way he did in hers.

She poured out the smooth amber liquid and brought the glasses over to the couch where Jay had flopped on one end.

"Thanks," said Jay as he took the glass. Their fingers touched briefly and they both felt a spark.

"Static?" asked Hailey.

Jay shrugged but said nothing. He took a sip, paused a second then downed the whole drink. Hailey took off her boots before settling on the opposite end of the couch.

She studied him for a moment. "You seem a little . . . uncertain." Her stomach felt a flutter of apprehension. "Are you having second thoughts about us?"

His head jerked up. "Hell, no. Never. It's just that, I don't know, I want everything to be perfect for us. Because, you know, I've been thinking about _us_ for a long time."

Hailey took a delicate sip of the whiskey and savored it. "Seriously? How long?"

Jay grinned. "Since about the second month of our partnership."

Hailey's blue eyes widened at his revelation. Jay saw her stunned look and said, "Come on, Hails. You can't tell me your mind didn't wander down that path at least once or twice."

She chewed on her bottom lip. "Okay. After about six months I started to maybe wonder what it would be like." An adorable blush sprung up on her cheeks.

Jay laughed. "Six months? What took you so long? Didn't my charm pull you in?"

Hailey took another sip of whiskey. "I was trying so hard to fit in and do a good job that I ignored your charm and put you on the back burner."

"Back burner? Don't think I like that. We need to move it to the front burner." He leaned toward her, grabbed her hands and pulled her to his end of the couch. She yelped as she landed in his lap.

He stared deeply into her beautiful eyes. "For the record, I have no doubts or second thoughts whatsoever about us," he said before his mouth descended on hers. Hailey's hands pressed against his chest before sliding down to the hem of his Henley and pulling it up. He broke the kiss only long enough to get the Henley over his head. He kissed her again quickly before grabbing her sweater's hem.

"Allow me," he smirked. Her sweater soon joined his on the floor. He pushed her onto her back and they picked up where they left off. Jay had just popped the front closure of Hailey's bra when the doorbell rang shrilly.

They both flinched. "Ignore it," whispered Jay. "Probably some wrong delivery person."

"Hey Jay, you in there?" called out Will.

"Or not," said Hailey.

Jay looked down at her and sighed. "Don't move. I'll get rid of him."

The bell ran again. "That's easier said than done," Hailey whispered back. "This is Will we're talking about."

As soon as Jay got up, Hailey leapt up and ran down the hall to Jay's bedroom with her bra half-way off. She didn't close the door all the way so she could overhear them.

Jay unlocked the door. "Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing. Just in the neighborhood. Thought we could catch up," said Will. "Wait, were you sleeping?"

Jay didn't look like he'd just woken up, but he was shirtless and his hair was mussed. Then Will glanced over his shoulder and saw the clothes on the floor.

A big grin broke out on his face. "Bro, that better be Hailey's sweater because pink is not your color. And if it's not hers, she's gonna kill you." Will seemed to take special delight in pointing that out.

Jay blew out a sigh. It was almost like Voight had caught them with their pants down. "Can't I have a little quiet time with my partner?"

Will nodded slowly. "Right. Partner. Something tells me that word has taken on a whole new meaning recently."

In the bedroom, Hailey had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Leave it to Will to cut to the heart of the matter. She tiptoed across the hall to the bathroom and flushed the toilet. Maybe that would send Will on his way.

When Jay heard the flush, he looked down the hall. "What do you want me to say? Hailey and I are . . . close. We're partners, we're friends, we're . . ."

Will held up a hand. "I get it. Really, I get it. So, I'm gonna let you two get back to your quiet time."

"Thank you," said Jay with a hint of sarcasm as he practically shut the door in Will's face.

Jay leaned against the back of the door for a moment. If it wasn't the District interrupting them, it was Will. Fortunately, there were still a lot of hours left in this day.

"Annoying brother is gone," he said. "Hailey?"

When she didn't respond, Jay looked around the corner. Hailey stood outside his bedroom topless and was shimmying out of her jeans.

Jay smiled broadly. "Now that's what I'm talking about."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Hailey kicked her jeans aside and beckoned Jay forward with her index finger. "We have unfinished business, Detective." She leaned nonchalantly against the door jamb wearing only a black thong.

Jay was riveted by his partner's beauty. "You little temptress."

"You know you love it," said Hailey as she twisted a strand of hair.

"I do." Two little words. It sounded like a wedding vow. Jay suddenly realized he would have no problem saying those same words to Hailey in a different setting. One with friends and family present and Hailey in a long white dress, her hair adorned with flowers.

"Are you worried about Will coming back?" Hailey's soft voice snapped him back to the present.

_Must have zoned out for a second. _He gave her his trademark smirk. "Will who?"

Hailey stifled a laugh. "Okay then."

"I'm all for getting back to business, especially business that doesn't involve paperwork, Detective Upton."

"You have a good point." They met halfway in the hall. Jay took Hailey's face in his hands before his mouth crashed onto hers. Hailey reached for his zipper and tugged it down as they stumbled into the bedroom. Before she knew it, the back of her legs bumped into the bed and she landed on her back with a small yelp. Jay laughed as he loomed over her.

"This is a much better look than all that plaid you wear," he said.

Hailey frowned up at him. "That's funny. Last week you said you liked my new green plaid shirt."

"It's a nice shirt, but I'm glad to finally know what's beneath it." He gave her one final kiss before he stopped to peel off his jeans and underwear.

"You're a naughty boy," she laughed.

"I will neither confirm nor deny that statement, Detective Upton."

Hailey was reaching for her thong, but Jay's hands got there first. "Allow me."

He expertly slid it down her legs and tossed it on the floor. Hailey raised her arms to pull him closer.

"Make love to me, Jay," she whispered.

Jay needed no encouragement at all to comply.

* * *

Some time later, Hailey awoke. She turned on her side to gaze at the man sleeping peacefully beside her. There was no sign of distress or anxiety on his face and his breathing was quiet and even. She knew Jay suffered from PTSD and often had nightmares, but thankfully there was no sign of that right now.

Hailey really had no words to describe the last two days. They had finally given in to all their suppressed feelings and desires and the result had been off the charts. Her face grew warm at the memory. It was gratifying to know that the man she trusted with her life every day could also now be trusted with her heart.

Jay sighed and shifted a little, but did not wake up. Even so, he sensed Hailey's hand on his chest and covered it with his own.

"Hailey . . ." he mumbled.

"I'm here, Jay. Everything's fine."

"Hmmm."

Hailey closed her eyes and dozed for a while until Jay woke up. She propped up on an elbow to look down at him. Both wore huge smiles. "What are you thinking?" she asked.

"I'm thinking how much I like seeing your face when I wake up."

"You see this face every day when you look up from your computer."

Jay laughed. "Not quite the same. At work, it's hair in a ponytail, serious expression and a weapon on your hip."

Hailey's smile faltered. Jay was immediately worried. "What's wrong?"

She didn't answer right away.

"Come on, Hails. Talk to me."

"How are we going to play this at the District? You know how Voight feels about his people dating. He'll be onto us in a flash."

Jay sighed as he trailed his fingers over her arm. "Yeah, the District. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about that, too. But you know what, screw the District. They don't own us."

Hailey made a face. "Well . . . it feels like that sometimes."

Jay studied her for a moment. "You're not sorry we took the big leap, are you?" His heart rate sped up as he waited for her response. He didn't think he could live without Hailey. She wasn't only his work partner; she was his soulmate. He had no doubts about it.

She shook her head and her beautiful smile returned. "Absolutely not. It was going to happen sooner or later."

Jay relaxed. "We will just have to be very, very careful. No PDAs, no ogling my butt . . ."

Hailey snorted in disbelief. "I believe last week when we were getting ready to go to that club, _you_ were ogling _my_ butt, mister. And my boobs!"

"So you noticed, did you?"

"I should smack you right now and wipe that grin off your face," she retorted. She tried to sound mad, but Jay knew she wasn't.

"Nah, you won't do that. But you can kiss it off."

"Is that a dare?" Hailey's eyes narrowed.

Still grinning, Jay said, "It is what it is."

Before he could make any more sassy remarks, Hailey was straddling him and indeed kissing his grin off. He let her stay on top for a second before flipping her onto her back.

* * *

Eventually, they decided they had to get out of bed because both their stomachs were growling. "I seem to remember you promising me a home-cooked dinner," Hailey reminded him as she rubbed her tummy.

"I certainly did. I'll get started if you want to take a shower." Jay was already pulling on his jeans.

"Sounds like a plan," said Hailey. She climbed out of the warm bed and paraded naked to the bathroom.

"I'll ogling you," said Jay.

"Enjoy the view," called Hailey over her shoulder.

Jay chuckled and headed for the kitchen.

* * *

**Sorry for the long, long delay in updating. Work has been crazy. Hope you enjoy this chapter. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Jay did a double-take when she saw Hailey wearing his navy-blue bathrobe. Of course, it came down to her ankles. She looked down at her red toenails. "I hope you don't mind. It was hanging behind the door."

"No, not at all." He gave her that special smile. "In fact, it makes it easier for me to get you naked."

She looked up at him coyly. "Ooh, are you trying to seduce me?''

He stepped closer and slid his arms around her waist. "Is it working?"

"Hold up." She braced her hands against his chest. "Not until you feed me. Then I'm putty in your hands."

Jay nodded. "Yeah? I assume that means I can have my hands all over you."

"That works both ways," Hailey reminded him.

"I'm counting on it," said Jay.

She tried to look around him. "First things first. What smells so good?"

After a dinner of steak, baked potatoes and salad, Jay and Hailey lounged on the couch. An action movie was playing on the TV, but it was more background noise than entertainment. Hailey leaned back against Jay's chest.

"This is a nice robe," she said as she played with the ties.

"It is. My mom gave it to me the Christmas before she died. She gave Will a green one just like it."

"I wish I could have met her," said Hailey.

"She was the best," said Jay with a hint of sadness. He paused as he remembered that last holiday they had together. "But, you know, I never actually wore it. Just not a robe kind of guy."

Hailey turned her head. "What kind of guy are you?"

"Low-key. Sweats. In fact, I planned on donating it and some other clothes to that men's shelter down the street from the District. But now I have a better idea."

"Yeah?" Hailey yawned. Her eyelids were starting to droop.

"When you stay here, it's yours. I like seeing you in it."

"Really?"

"Really."

"That's nice. Thank you." Hailey tried unsuccessfully to suppress another yawn.

"Do you think Will wears his?"

Jay laughed. "I would guess that Natalie has claimed it by now."

Hailey turned and snuggled closer to Jay. They were quiet for a maybe five minutes before Jay scooped her up in his arms. "Come on, Hails. Let's get you to bed. Tomorrow it's back to work."

Hailey squirmed and protested. "I want to stay here with you."

**Monday Morning**

Sgt. Trudy Platt alternately frowned and cursed as she rooted through boxes of cold case files in the musty, downstairs storage room. Some low-level flunky had mistakenly had them shipped to the 21st a month ago. Now an irate Captain in another district was screaming to get certain ones back ASAP as some new leads had surfaced.

_Why haven't these things been computerized yet? _She paused with one hand on her hip and glanced out the dirt-streaked window to the employee parking lot. She immediately recognized the large black truck that rolled in. After a minute, Halstead and Upton got out drinking their usual coffees and looking far too happy for a dismal Chicago morning.

_Those two wouldn't be grinning so much if they were discussing a meth bust or a gang triple homicide. _

No other Intelligence members had arrived yet. When Jay and Hailey met at the front of the truck, he suddenly leaned down and gave Hailey a quick kiss.

Platt's eyebrows shot up. _Well . . . this is a revelation. _The annoying cold case files were forgotten as she considered this stunning new development. _Can't say I'm surprised. They've been tiptoeing around this for a while._

Platt's phone buzzed with a text. She checked it and frowned. The irate Captain was again inquiring about the files. "You'll get them when you get them, O'Leary," she groused. Uppermost in her mind right now was whether or not Voight knew about Jay and Hailey.

_He's not going to be happy. He's only recently learned to tolerate Adam and Kim's relationship. _

The back door slammed and Jay and Hailey started up the stairs. Jay's hand was at the small of Hailey's back. Trudy slipped out behind them with her box of files.

"Good morning, Detectives," she called out. They half turned, a bit startled, and Jay dropped his hand.

"Morning, Sarge," said Jay.

Trudy smirked at them. _Oh, yeah. I saw that little PDA in the parking lot. _

"What have you got there, Sarge?" asked Hailey.

Trudy looked at the box. "This? Don't get me started. It's for O'Leary over at the 19th."

"O'Leary? I've run into him a few times," said Hailey. "He's a . . ."

"A real pain in everyone's ass," finished Trudy. "Yeah, I know."

Hailey nodded. "Copy that."

"Here, let me help you," said Jay. He handed Hailey his coffee and took the box from Trudy.

"Thank you, Jay." Then she really studied Hailey's face. "I see the bruises are fading. I hope you got some rest this weekend."

"I did. The ribs are still a little tender though," said Hailey with a smile. _But it didn't stop us from doing whatever we wanted this weekend. _She felt a little flutter in her stomach.

"Did Jay keep an eye on you?" asked Trudy as she scrutinized them closely.

"Sarge, come on, you know I always watch out for my partner," said Jay, feeling somewhat uneasy. _Did she see us in the parking lot?_

Trudy looked from one to the other. "That's what I thought." Her phone rang and she snatched it out of her pocket. "Speak of the devil. 'Yes, Captain O'Leary. How are you this fine morning?'"

Jay and Hailey went up to the main level and Jay set the box on Platt's desk. "Was that . . . weird?" he asked.

"Definitely. And you broke the no PDA rule," said Hailey as she swatted his arm.

"It wasn't a hard-and-fast rule. It was more a suggestion."

Hailey shook her head. "A suggestion, really? I _suggest _we get up to Intelligence before you have any more lapses."

Jay looked around. It was shift change. "Hell, if all these people weren't milling around, I'd kiss you again right now."

"Shut up," said Hailey with a smile. "Try to control yourself until we get home."

"That's a tall order, Detective," laughed Jay.

The other members of Intelligence trickled in after a few minutes. "Hey, you two," said Ruzek with a big smile on his face. "How was the weekend? Do anything fun and exciting?"

Kim frowned and elbowed him. "Adam, don't be so nosy."

"Nosy? Just making small talk with my co-workers," he said undeterred.

Kim directed her attention to Hailey. "Are you feeling better, Hailey?"

"Yep. Almost back to normal."

Kim smiled warmly. "I'm glad."

Voight came up the stairs already on his cell phone. "Understood. We're on the way." He disconnected and looked around at his team.

"Okay, listen up. We caught a case." He looked to Hailey. "You good, Upton?"

"Ready to go, Sarge."


End file.
